I have read several places about using irrigation pipe (most recently in QST).  Not sure where you can buy this stuff (I'm not a farmer!).  Also some time ago I was looking for some metal tubing - there were several metal salvage yards in my area, and I remember seeing all kinds of large and small tubing, some in rather long lengths.  Perhaps this might be a cheaper source for you as well.   John.

Buy a couple of ceramic dogbone insulators ($.65 each at Radioworks.com and elsewhere) or HQ-2 glass-filled insulators ($.85 each).  

I agree with above posts that at HF and VHF there is no appreciable loss to the UHF connectors.  You should have no problems with your plan.

I recently tested my RG213 coax (95ft) using an MFJ 259B.  The coax had four PL259 connectors and two female junctions.  Total loss was same as the spec for the coax alone.

However I should also point out that I have since switched to type N connectors from Radio Works.  They install as easy as UHF connectors, cost $3.25 (for male), and are more waterproof than UHF.  And certainly no worry about loss at almost any freq.

John.

Assuming you are talking about lightning protection -

Radial-type wires are effective for RF grounds but not much better than nothing for lightning.  The most effective part of a ground rod is the deepest part, preferrably 8ft or 10ft down.  To really protect your tower you need several heavy copper stranded wires (#2 smallest, #00 better) coming from your tower like radials.  About 5 ft out on each wire, install a ground rod with HEAVY ground clamp, then another on each wire about 10 ft or so farther.  If you want, continue the wires another 10ft or so, and install a third rod on each.

You said you have rocky ground - my location in Colorado is VERY rocky - I was able to install a number of ground rods using a home-made device like a fence post driver.  MUCH more effective than a sledge hammer.  I think you will give up if you use a sledge hammer.  I also used a grinder to put a sharper point on the end of the ground rods so that if I did hit a rock (and I did) that there was a possibility of splitting the rock.  Use 5/8 rods, not 1/2" as they will take more pounding.

In several instances I could only get down 2 ft or so before hitting something big.  I then clamped a Visegrip wrench to the rod and used a long lever to pry the rod back out.  Then moved a foot or so and tried again.  In some places I was only able to get the rod down 5 or 6 feet before hitting something BIG.  So I cut the rod off at that point, and installed another one a few feet away.  Just do the best you can.

At the tower connect your wires (copper) to the tower with a aluminum/copper compatible clamp to reduce the electrolysis problem.  I found that electrical supply houses sell 8ft and 10ft 5/8 rods for less than the Home Depot/Lowe's prices.  Also a better place to buy the heavy wire and clamps.

I recommend cutting your coax at the bottom of the tower and inserting a junction which is connected (with ground clamp) to one of the wires.  This will reduce the amount of energy headed towards your shack.  As even more insurance, install all or the last 25ft of coax in some 3/4" flex aluminum conduit, with a clamp to your ground wire just before going into your house.  This acts as a bazooka to shunt any residual energy on the coax to ground.

One other thing - it would be a good idea to run one of the ground wires towards your shack (house) and connect to your station ground.  That keeps the entire tower/antenna/equipment at the same ground potential.

Good luck.   John

Wet coax will stay wet for a while (the water wicks in via the braid).  Your problem might just be localized water, like at the connector, that dries out fast.  However that amount of SWR would suggest a bigger problem.  

Even though you have the weep holes pointed down, I would still suspect water problem into a trap.  Spiders can build nests through the smallest of holes.

I am not familiar with the traps on that antenna, so can't offer more ideas.  Good luck.  John

My experiences might be of interest to others.

I decided to replace my 811A's in my Collins 30L1 with 572B's.  The Russian version is apparently not fully compatible, so I leaned towards the Chinese version.  One company sells as branded "Taylor".  I bought the same exact tubes (without the branding), matched quad, from Penta Labs for $140.  Worked great in my 30L1, plus higher output.  

My 6146B's in my KWM2A were getting soft.  Taking a chance, I ordered two Chinese 6146B's from Penta Labs for $18 each.  They neutralized at same point as my Sylvania tubes, just adjusted the bias slightly.  Now able to load heavier, more output.  Absolutely no problems.

John

Raising the feedpoint would require raising the center point of your mesh and ground wires so they also meet at the feedpoint.   Assuming this is done you would probably droop downward the other ends of the mesh and wires.  If so this will raise the feedpoint impedance.  A 1/4 wavelength vertical has about 35 or so ohms impedance.  Drooping the ground plane will raise it, perhaps to about 50 ohms.  This would be an improvement.  John

All of the Dentron units are very well built.  My RT-3000 is great, bought from eBay.  Also take a look at the Nye Viking, just about top of the line.  Like most of the other posts have said, beware of much of the newer offerings - ratings seem inflated.  MFJ and Vectronics seem to be variable in quality/design, at least based on Epinions.com user feedback.  John

Most analysis of ground planes show that greatest benefit is in first .1 wavelengths.  A screen of some size, connected to ground side of vertical, could be an excellent start.  This would be similar to a vertical on a metal roof, which works great.  Even better would be to extend the screen at the edges with some wires to get some longer radials, preferably 1/4 wavelength (including screen) on lowest band.

Also, if roof joists slant downward (like most do except flat roofs), this will raise the antenna impedance to closer to 50 ohms, which is good.  In antenna books a 45 degree slope to radials is suggested.

As suggested in an above post, the screen must be connected to the ground side of the vertical.  This means a hole in the roof.  Since this is a high current region, use heavy wire or braid and keep as short as possible.

As suggested in one of the above responses, just bend the two ends of the antenna to fit.  Computer analysis shows that there is only a minor impact on performance if 30% of each leg is bent 90 degrees (so that antenna as viewed from above looks like a "Z").  You already have the antenna, so make it easy on yourself.  It will work fine.  

And good luck on your continuing HF experiences.  Enjoy!  John

Bob, do a search on eBay completed auctions to see what similar items have actually sold for.  Go to Consumer Electronics, Ham Radio category.

As I think you know by virtue of asking the question, there are people out there who will claim the equipment is old, junk, etc and offer a few pennies on the dollar.  

John

Welcome to the hobby.  For most of us, having someone or a club close by was a great assistance when getting started.  Sorry you don't have that advantage.

I strongly recommend that you join the ARRL.  You will receive QST magazine plus gain access to the members-only parts of their website www.arrl.org.  There you can get lots of info about bands, clubs, back issues of QST, technical reviews of equiment from their archives, etc.  At your library you might find some ARRL publications (Handbook, various antenna books, etc).  I have heard that the "for Dummies" book is well done.  And lacking anyone close by, you might strike up an email connection with a helpful ham (via these posts and others) with whom you can ask numerous questions, big and small.

Ham radio might seem somewhat overwelming in the earliest moments, but in not too long a time you won't feel so lost.    Best of luck.  John.

Here is the ARRL/QST link to their Nov 1984 review of the Maxx-Com:  http://www.arrl.org/members-only/prodrev/pdf/pr8411.pdf

I use WIN-EQF and am very happy.  Easy to learn, easy to use.  Both regular and contesting modes.  First installed on a laptop with XP Home.  Later upgraded laptop to XP Pro.  No problems with WIN-EQF on either.   Highly recommend.  John.

About 20 yrs ago they advertised in CQ and 73 magazines.  Wanted to do so in QST, which has a policy to check out advertisers before accepting ads.  They Xrayed the device and printed a product review in QST.  Turns out that the device consisted of several resistors across the terminals (solid state!) and two printed circuit boards.  The boards were only parts of boards and not connected to anything!  More solid state.  Everything was potted, so buyers would not see these sophisticated components!!

So the device achieves low SWR by placing resistors across the antenna terminals.  A dummy load is cheaper.  Buyer beware!  By the way, QST declined to accept their advertising.     John.